News Briefs, Week of May 9

Samford University exercise science and sports medicine faculty and students conducted a health fair and fitness screening for Perry County high school students in Marion, Ala., Friday, May 6. A total of 28 faculty and students helped about 300 high school students with assessments of their blood pressure, heart rate, strength, body fat and other health measures.

Any necessary medical referrals will be made to a local physician and a weekly hypertension clinic run by Samford's McWhorter School of Pharmacy in Marion.

The program was part of a year-long effort by Samford to work in health areas with Perry County residents, according to Dr. Charles D. Sands, IV, chair of Samford's exercise science and sports medicine department.

Laura Smith Named Top Samford Adult Student

Laura Wilson Smith of Gardendale received the James L. Treadway Award during recent award ceremonies for students enrolled in Samford University's Metro College. The Treadway award recognizes the outstanding student in the evening program for adult students. Smith will graduate with a Bachelor of General Studies degree May 21.

Warren Ruden of Birmingham received the Joe O. Lewis Faculty Scholar Award, given annually to an outstanding faculty member in the Metro College program. Ruden teaches marketing and advertising courses in the evening program.

Samford University faculty members Clara Gerhardt and David Shipley have been invited to present papers at the first International Conference on Information Technology Integration in Teaching and Learning June 1-4 in Hong Kong.

Dr. Gerhardt, a family studies professor, will speak twice. Her topics are "Lessons To Be Learned: Teaching a Parenting Course in Problem-Based Learning Format" and "Harmonizing Groups for Learning: Group Dynamics in Problem-Based Learning."

Gerhardt and Shipley also will visit Hong Kong Baptist University's departments of education and communications and the Baptist Theological Seminary in Singapore.

Samford Hosts 200 Fairfield Fifth-Graders at Young Authors Conference

Samford University's School of Education and Professional Studies hosted 200 fifth-graders from Fairfield City Schools April 29 at a Young Authors Conference. Samford's teacher education department and Miles College sponsored the conference, which serves as the culmination of a year-long emphasis on improving writing skills among Fairfield students.

The students shared their writings with peers and participated in activities in several literature genres including Reader's Theater productions, booktalks led by Samford and Miles students and arts and crafts.

The conference was supported by a Samford in Mission grant awarded to Dr. Michele Haralson of the education school. Samford faculty participating included Dr. Jean Box, Dr. David Little, Myrtis Johnson, Mary Hollis Newell and Dr. Haralson. Dr. Patricia Speights of Miles and Dr. Cheryl Burns, director of curriculum and instruction for Fairfield City Schools, also took part.

The Samford in Mission program is funded by a $2 million grant to Samford by the Lilly Foundation in 2002.

Schrimsher Gets Alabama Association of College and Research Libraries Leadership Post

Samford University pharmacy librarian Bob Schrimsher of McWhorter School of Pharmacy has been elected vice president/president elect of the Alabama Association of College and Research Libraries (AACRL).

Dr. Schrimsher also has been awarded Senior Member status in the Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP) by the Credentialing Committee of the Medical Library Association. Schrimsher holds the rank of associate professor in the pharmacy school.